Battle of Gazala

The Battle of Gazala (26 May-21 June 1942) was a battle fought between the British Commonwealth forces and the Axis Powers in North Africa. The battle occurred when the British 8th Army under Claude Auchinleck, attempted a bold counterattack against the Germans and Italians in Cyrenaica. The Allies set up the Gazala Line to defend against any German counterattacks, but the famous German general Erwin Rommel led a fierce attack against the British army, which was poorly-coordinated. It resulted in a decisive German victory, allowing for the Germans to recapture Tobruk and drive the British back to Egypt. Auchinleck was replaced by Bernard Montgomery soon after, and the First Battle of El Alamein would test the new general's abilities.

Prelude
Under the leadership of General Claude Auchinleck, the British 8th Army broke through the Axis Powers siege of Tobruk and relieved the Australian garrison of the city. With the German Afrika Korps and their Italian allies in retreat, Prime Minister Winston Churchill pressed Auchinleck to drive the Axis forces from Cyrenaica. However, the brilliant German commander Erwin Rommel formed the Gazala Line to hold back the Allied forces, which consisted of British Commonwealth and Free French soldiers. The Germans were, on paper, at a disadvantage due to their lack of supplies and their demoralization. However, the Germans increased their bombing of Malta to cut off the Allied supply lines, and Rommel planned to show off his great talent for defensive warfare against the Allies.

Initial battle
A forward guard of German troops was deployed to hold a small group of sandbag positions used as a headquarters by the Afrika Korps while awaiting reinforcements from Rommel's main army, with the Germans entrenching against oncoming Commonwealth troops. The German soldiers used machine-guns and held back several British attacks, and the British suffered heavy losses in their failed attacks against the German positions. As a result, the Germans were allowed to gain a few more reinforcements and push towards the front lines held by the Commonwealth on the road to Gazala. With the support of Panzer III tanks, the Germans pushed forwards and eliminated British sandbag positions, several soldiers, and some Cromwell tanks, and the Germans overran the posts.

With the road captured, the Germans were able to enter the town of Gazala itself and occupy it as their new HQ. The British decided to send several soldiers, armored vehicles, tanks, and trucks to assault the town, which was reinforced by some German tanks and more soldiers. The German forces put up a strong defense against the British attacks, destroying many of their vehicles as they entered battle. Although the British nearly achieved a breakthrough on the right flank, German armored reinforcements arrived and assisted in pushing back the assault. The battle for the town itself was a German victory, with the British losing 578 men and 25 vehicles while the Germans lost only 122 men and 4 vehicles.

Main battle
With Gazala in Axis hands, Rommel decided to work his miracle. He made a decoy attack to the north and made the main attack on the southern flank of the Allied forces, although the Free French under Marie-Pierre Koenig put up a staunch defense at Bir Hakeim and cut off the German supply lines. Rommel retreated into "the Cauldron" and created a new supply route near British lines, and the over-confident British made poorly-coordinated attacks against the Axis forces. Many British armored vehicles and tanks were lost, and the Germans made a counterattack. The British suffered heavy losses and retreated, giving Rommel the best victory of his career. Tobruk was overrun shortly after, and the Germans were able to advance into Egypt.

Aftermath
Claude Auchinleck's failure was met with his dismissal by Churchill, who appointed William Gott as the new leader of the Eighth Army; his plane was shot down and he was killed, so Churchill then sent Bernard Montgomery to take over the Commonwealth army. Although Gazala was a great victory for Rommel, it would be short-lived, for the Second Battle of El Alamein later in the year was Montgomery's finest hour and the end of Rommel's advance.